Mechanical toy



1945- H. J. CRINER 5 MECHANICAL TOY Filed Jan. 24, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Mw HM Oct. 23, 1945. H. J. cRms MECHANICAL-TOY a Filed Jan. 24

, 1944 .2 sheets-shee 2 Patented Oct. 23, 1945 y Parana orrlre mcnamcanrror Application January 24, 19.45. 2, :Ser'niITNo. 515 ,5

travel longitudinally of thestrings, and relaxing V l the strings, when heldjin .the vertical position, will allow the body .to descend from the upper .end of fthes'tring .to the lower .end thereof. "Other 'obiects'will "appear from the description.

I .attain these ool'ects by the -means'iillustrated "in the accompanying drawings, "in-wlii'ch:

.Figure .1 is a vertical half section "of my :toy on the middle line "I'I of Figure 2,-but with the outer ends of the strings broken away;

Figure "2'iis avertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 p "Figurefiis a'partiafl sectional view offamodilled form of apparatus on the line 3-? of Figure 4 Figure 4 "is a vertical section I011 the line 1- ofFignre3;

.Figure 5 is a .side "elevation of my "toy with portionsofthe strings brokensaway;

I Figure '6 is a detail sectional view of the center pieceinl igurei;

Figure '7 is "a sectional ".v'iew of. the belt 'plate orthetormshown infi urefir "Figures *8 and 9 show 'a'modiiication "comprising the :addition of an animal or other figure pivotally;mounted upon the side plates.

Similar numerals refer "to similar parts throughout'the severalviews.

The "body of my "toy is preferably circular and composed of two side pieces I and 2 rigidly mounted upon a unitary shaft 5 and spaced apart thereon.

The side pieces I and 2 may be composed of wood, metal or any suitable material, but I prefer to form them of solid pieces of wood or plastic.

Formed integral with the side piece I or rigidly united thereto, is the larger drum 3. Formed integral or united to the other side piece 2 is the smaller drum 4. These drums may vary in size and proportions, but I prefer to have the smaller 7 drum approximately half the diameter of the larger drum. The side pieces I and 2 and the drums 3 and 4' are rigidly mounted upon a shaft or pin 5 which may be secured to the side pieces and drums by a press fit or may be firmly united thereto by the head 6 formed upon one end of the shaft and a nut I threaded upon the other end of the shaft, or by any other suitable means will hold the two side .pieces in ftheirtfixell relative position. l I

nspacer is mountedupon'the :Shatt 5-be'tween .the drums .3 4 .so as to spread them apart enough Ito .clear the "center plate .9. .A center plate .9 isjjournaled on the spa er '8 which. rotates freely therein. The Plate 9 .is preferably formed withperip'heral flanges Illand II extendingflaterally therefrom and is arranged to permit free revolution of the side members and 2.

Upon thejlarger drum 3 a strong flexililestrin g or cord I4 is wound having one end .attached to the drum '3 and with its opposite end extending outwardly through .an opening I2 formed in the lower .poritionof thefflange 'orperiphery H or the centerplate. p v

To the .smaller drum 4 a similar, -although shorter, s'tring'or cord I5 is'attachedin 'a positi'on to .be wound thereon as the drum is revolvedand with its outer end projecting outwardly through 2 and 14 in order to give apertain S mmetry to apparatus.

the apparatus and when so arranged, the openingsgshould :-be provided with rounded .edges to cut down friction with the cord, but it is obvious that the openings may be somewhat extended along 'tl1e circumference ofth'e .band "21 :and that friction may be further reduced by locating the openings on flines tangential to the drums respectively and parallel to the vertical axis of the "To the outer ends of the strings, "I attach rings 1'6 and H, or other suitable meansby which they may be easily held and operated manually.

In order to increase the attractiveness of the toy, the sides may be painted or decorated with any desired form of ornamentation. I As an additional matter of interest, small fig ures IQ of plastic or cardboard or other suitable material, may be pivotally mounted on suitable pivot pins 20 driven into or secured in the outer surfaces of one or both of the side plates.

In the alternate form shown in Figures 3 and 4, the center plate 9 is omitted and the belt plateor band 2I is mounted in annular grooves 22 formed in the inner faces of the side pieces, with suflicient play to permit the side pieces to revolve freely thereon while the band is held against rotation.

When so arranged, openings 23 and 24 will be formed on the opposite sides of the band for the strings to pass through and the spacer 8 will be omitted, but its place may be taken by a circular plate 25 which will act to keep the strings from being displaced laterally from their respective drums.

My toy is preferably operated with the strings held in vertical position.

The string I4 from the larger drum, passes out through the lower opening I2. The string I4 should be wound upon the drum 3 before the side pieces are secured together by the shaft 5 and the outer ends of the strings passed out through their respective openings.

When the string is then held in vertical position and'traction applied to pull the rings I6 and I! in opposite directions, the string I4 will unwind from the drum 3 and causethe drum 3 to revolve, carrying with it the shaft 5 and the side members I and 2, as well as the smaller drum 4. At the same time the string I5 will be wound upon the smaller drum 4 and the bodyment of the body may be stopped by releasing advance with the body rolling along in the direction of the arrows, unwinding the string I4 from the larger drum and rewinding the string I5 upon the smaller drum. When desired to move the figure in the opposite direction, the ring I6 is held in fixed position and the ring I1 released. The body can then be manually pulled or rolled by hand in the opposite direction and the string I5 will unwind from the smaller drum and the string I4 will rewind upon the larger drum or the string can be shifted to a vertical position with the ring I6 uppermost so that the force of gravity can cause the body to descend to the ring the tension upon thestring on the larger, drum and if desired, the string'srmay be held loosely enough topermit the force of gravity to cause the body to descend. As it descends it of course will continue to rotate and the string I5 will be way.

As the drums and side pieces revolve, centrifunwoundfrom the drum 4 and the string I 4 reugal force will cause the figures I9 to fly outwardly upon their pivots 20, depending to some extent upon the speed with which the body is revolving.

In Figure 8 .I have shown the outer portions of the string in horizontal position above a base or table 33 upon which the body may roll, with a figure 3| pivotally mounted upon the pivot pins 32 secured in the side plates I and 2.

.7 In the drawings I have shown this figure in the The front feet of the horse form of a horse. may be pivoted to the outer ends of the shaft 5 extended, or may be pivoted upon pivot pins 32 secured .to one side of the center shaft, and when so secured the front end of the horse will move up'and down as the body revolves or rolls along upon the table33. The figure is preferably made of very light. Celluloid or other plastic so as not to interfere with the revolution of the side members. When traction is exerted in opposite directions upon the rings I6 and I I, the figure will V II. .after which the operation can be repeated. l5'

Various modifications may be made in the shape, proportions and arrangement of the members without departing from the spirit of my invention and I do not limit m claims to the precise forms shown.

.- I claim:

1. A mechanical toy comprising a central shaft,

a pair of solid circular side membersv rigidly united .to the shaft and having parallel plane inner faces spaced apart, differential winding drums co-axially united to the side members respectively on their inner faces, annular grooves formed'at the outer edges of the inner faces of the side members, an annular band, interposed between the side members with its edges fitting loosely in said annular grooves, cords or strings having their inner end united respectively to said winding drumsfand windable thereon in op posite directions, string guide openings'formedin approximately opposite sides of the annular band and through which the outer ends of said strings pass respectively.

' 2. A mechanical toy comprising a central shaft, 2. pair of solid circular side members rigidly united to the shaft and having parallel plane inner faces spaced apart, differential winding drums co-axially united to the side members respectively on their inner faces, an annular 'ba'nd interposed betwe'en'the side members at or near the outer edges thereof, and means formed upon the inner faces of the side members at or near the outer outer edgesthereof to form a loosely fitting seat for said annular band in whichthe annular band may be held stationary while the side members revolve, vcords or strings having 1 their inner ends united respectively to said winding drums and windable thereon in opposite directions, string guide openings formed in approximately opposite. sides of the annular band and through which the outer ends ofsaid strings pass respectively and are freel movable.

HA RY J. CRINERI. 

